2 detained after Aeromexico flight stuck on Oakland tarmac

January 11, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Two passengers on an Aeromexico flight were detained Thursday and others called 911 to say they were being held against their will as the plane sat for hours on the tarmac at Oakland International Airport, officials said.

Flight 622 from Guadalajara was scheduled to land at San Francisco International Airport but was diverted due to fog and landed at Oakland at about 10:30 a.m., airport spokeswoman Keonnis Taylor said.

The plane sat for about four hours. Passengers complained that for much of the time they had no air conditioning and received no food or water. Some called 911 to report they were being held against their will, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s units also responded to reports of an unruly passenger who was threatening to open the emergency door exit as the flight crew tried to stop him, Sgt. Ray Kelly said.

That man and another passenger were detained for interfering with an aircraft and flight crew but after talking to the men, they were allowed to leave without being arrested, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

One woman who said she had trouble breathing was given oxygen and taken to a hospital.

Passengers were finally allowed to head to the terminal Thursday afternoon.

Oakland airport said in a statement that it is an airline’s decision whether to await clearance to return to the original destination or let passengers deplane at the diversion airport.

Aeromexico said in a statement that it has no Oakland operations and needed special authorization from airport authorities to disembark passengers